Eamonn Holmes Addresses Homophobia Accusations

Eamonn Holmes has set the record straight once and for all regarding accusations of homophobia, after an old interview was re-aired where he asked gay parents if they were “unnatural”.

Cast your mind back to the year 2000, when Tony and Barrie Drewitt-Barlow made headlines by becoming one of the highest profile gay couples in the UK to have children. At the time they were interviewed by Eamonn Holmes, who posed them a question reflective of the views of the time: “There are people who are going to say it’s not natural, and will say you’ve been shopping for the ultimate gay accessory.”

This question has reared it’s head again after the couple appeared in a documentary, which featured snippets of this interview. This prompted a wave of criticism for the This Morning presenter, who has finally set the record straight.

He said: “I have to put questions, I have to reflect what people are thinking. I don’t like having to justify personal views because as a journalist I reflect what other people are saying and put the opposite question – which I did do in that interview.”

“The interview was sort-of edited as if they were my views… but I would like to say for the record, any children who are in a loving environment, the way they are with you guys, you can only be proud at the sort of parents you are. I’d just like to say that on record…. I’m annoyed about what social media does and how it distorts things.”

This was even backed up by the couple themselves, who said that Eamonn had “always been supportive” of them, and that they had even met up “loads of times” after the interview.

The couple had this to say: “When you look at the interview we did with you 16 years ago, things have definitely moved on. You were asking the questions of the time, which were spot on really… and you don’t look a day older now than you did then, Eamonn!”

It’s nice to see support from the couple, especially as Eamonn never actually said that they were in natural, he simply posed a question that some people at the time might have asked. Given that this was sixteen years ago, let’s not forget how different views were back then as well. Hopefully this matter can be laid to rest.